Voyages of the Stormwitch

Name and Background

What’s In a Name?

To the Vikings, quite a lot, actually—especially the nickname, of which nearly every man had one. Following are some examples of male and female names common in the eastern portion of Scandinavia, as well as a list of typical nicknames. Be warned! If you don’t select a nickname for yourself, odds are that someone else will, and there’s not guarantee it will be flattering!

Male Names

Sveinn

Ulfr

Halfdan

Gunnarr

Geirbjôrn

Þorsteinn

Erinmundr

Sibbi

Þórir

Gísmundr

Ketilfastr

Ásgautr

Ôlvé

Arnfast

Spjallboði

Andvéttr

Ragnarr

Helgi

Spjallboði

Áli

Jôfurfast

Gísl

Ingimundr

Gnúpa

Gulleifr

Styrlaugr

Holmr

Þorkell

Styrbjôrn

Áskell

Þjóðulfr

Búi

Farulfr

Sigviðr

Ingifastr

Óttarr

Hróðelfr

Ketill

Bjôrn

Ônundr

Guðleifr

Slagvi

Grímmundr

Viðfastr

Ulfr

Vébjôrn

Eyvindr

Eivísl

Grímulfr

Sigsteinn

Brandr

Gulli

Ásbjôrn

Juli

Tóki

Smiðr

Halfborinn

Hróðfúss

Oddgeirr

Hegbjôrn

Hróðvísl

Eysteinn

Hrafn

Ásviðr

Engli

Þóraldr

Female

Rúna

Sigríðr

Ketiley

Herþrúðr

Eilíkn

Nicknames

(Excerpted from Vikings of Legend.)

Abandoned

Coward

Fur-trader

Laggard

Scowler

Tax-collector

Ale-Lover

Crippled

Gash-skull

Lamb

Scrawny-runt

Thin-beard

All-Wise

Crooked

Gaudy

Lame

Screamer

Thistle

Arsonist

Crooked-arse

Gelder

Large

Sea-farer

Thorn-foot

Axe

Crow

Generous

Lean

Seer

Thud-beam

Bad

Crow-nose

Gentle

Leech

Serpent-tongue

Thunder

Bad-mouth

Curly-head

Giant

Level-head

Shaggy-breeches

Timberquaker

Bad-poet

Cut-cheek

Giant-bane

Limp-leg

Shaggy-head

Tinkle-scales

Bald-pate

Dandy

Girlish

Long-chin

Sharp

Tongue

Bare-leg

Dauntless

Glad

Lucky

Sheen-mane

Torpid

Barker

Deep-minded

Gold-beard

Lust-hostage

Shield

Travel-hard

Battle-tooth

Desirous-of-beer

Gold-bearer

Mad

Shifty

Travel-shirt

Bear-cub

Downy-nose

Good-cheer

Marksman

Shipwright

Tree-leg

Beardless

Dreamer

Gossip

Mercenary

Short

Trickster

Bellower

Dream-reader

Grave-robber

Mighty

Short-penis

Troll

Berserk

Drowsy

Gray

Mixing-horn

Shrieking

Troublesome
Poet

Berserks-bane

Duel

Great

Much-sailing

Sickly

Trout

Billygoat

Eagle

Great-slasher

Oaken-crook

Silk-Beard

Trustworthy

Bitch

Earl’s-skald

Gripe

Old

Skerry-blaze

Twig-belly

Bitter

Earth-long

Grovelling

Oppressed

Skinny

Twist-foot

Black

Elder

Hag’s-nose

Orphan-poet

Skull-cleaver

–

Black-brows

Elegant

Hairy

Ox-might

Sledge-hammer

Uninspired

Black-troll

Eloquent

Hairy-cheek

Paunch

Sleeper

Unjust

Bladder-bald

Evil

Half-troll

Peacock

Sleet-nose

Unlucky

Blind

Excrement

Handsome

Peevish

Slim

Unwashed

Blind-snout

Fair-hair

Hang-stocking

Pelt

Smith

Upright

Blue-tooth

Farmer

Hard-rule

Piglet

Smooth-tongued

Valiant

Blusterer

Far-traveling

Haven-key

Pock-marked

Snake-in-the-eye

Very-wise

Boar

Cleft-palate

Hell-hide

Poet

Snow-shoe

Vicious

Boneless

Clumsy-boor

Helmet

Pouch-back

Sorcerer

Victorious

Bow-swayer

Clumsy-foot

Heron

Prick

Sour

Viking

Braggart

Codfish-biter

Hoary-head

Pride-of-the-benches

Speedy

Virtuous

Brave

Cold-mouth

Hog-Head

Proud

Spike

Wag-beard

Bristle-beard

Coward

Honest

Raging

Split-stick

Walker

Broad

Crippled

Horn-breaker

Ram

Squinter

Weak

Broad-bearded

Crooked

Horse-fly

Rash

Stink-fart

Whale

Broken

Fast-traveller

Horse-gelder

Raven

Stooped

Whale-might

Builder

Fat

Horse-head

Red

Stout

Whiskers

Burned

Figurehead

Horse-penis

Red-cheek

Stout-hearted

Whistler

Button-arse

Filthy

Hound

Red-cloak

Straw

White

Cairn-breaker

Fish-hook

Howler

Rich

Strong

White-cloud

Careless

Flat-foot

Hump

Ring-slinger

Stump

White-leg

Champion

Flat-nose

Hunchback

Rooster

Subtle

Wild-man

Chest-butter

Foal-forehead

Illegitimate

Rutter

Surprise-attack

Winker

Chieftain

Foolish

Impressive

Sad

Swarthy-old-man

Wise

Child-sparer

Forest-nose

Insignificant

Salmon

Swarthy-skin

Witch-breaker

Cleft-palate

Fork-beard

Iron-side

Sarcastic

Swift-eyed

Woe-snout

Clumsy-boor

Fortunate

Jawbone

Scar-leg

Swine

Wolf

Codfish-biter

Fox

Keen

Scatter-brain

Tall

Wood-skull

Cold-mouth

Fringed-cloak

Knob

Scoffing

Tangle-hair

Worm-tongue

Character Gifts

(Excerpted from the AD&DVikings Campgaign Sourcebook.)

The bulk of characters encountered in a Viking campaign are human. However, Norse belief allows for many differences between men. Some men and women have special talents that separate them from ordinary people. These talents are known as Gifts—a boon or curse bestowed by the Norns at the moment of birth. For some, the Norns have woven a lucky thread in life; others are born without luck. Once these gifts are determined, there is little a man can do to change them.

Not all gifts are bestowed by the gods, however. Some are the result of the deeds of fathers, grandfathers, even ancestors. A hero may inherit a fine piece of land or find himself the target of a blood feud. Unlike the gifts of the gods, though, these can be gained or lost by the character’s bold (or craven) actions.

If a player chooses for his character to be human, he can check to see if his character has a Gift. The check is made by rolling 1d20 and finding the result on the Character Gifts table below. No player is required to make this check. However, once the player makes the die roll he must accept the result, whether it is for good or ill. Not all results are desirable, and some players may choose to not make the roll rather than risk an unpleasant result. If the player refuses to check for a Gift, he cannot make the attempt in the future.